3rd_QTR

Mni Wiconi Wacipi
(Living Waters Powwow & Family Camp)

In August Agape traveled to Turner Falls, Oregon to help staff the 4th Annual Wiconi International Family Camp & Powwow. What an awesome time we had seeing old friends and making new ones! Howard was busy with photos and video, trying to capture the essence of the “we’re family feeling” that permeated the whole camp.

Our Really Old Friend Gary Foster

More than 250 people attended the Family Camp this year from as far away as Maryland, Texas, Wisconsin, as well throughout the West, with more than 90 youth and young adults. Our fry-bread volunteers cooked more than 700 pieces and we served a camp record of 520 dinners on Saturday during the Powwow. It is estimated that over 800 people attended the Powwow. Wow! It just keeps growing.

Pastor Rita Bear Gray &
Pastor Randy Barnetson

This year, our theme was “Restoring Authentic Community in a Broken World.” In response to this challenge, our entire three days together was focused on friendship making, relationship strengthening and community building in the spirit of Jesus. For example Wiconi did not plan a speaking schedule with invited speakers or musicians/worship leaders. Each morning our extended camp staff met to pray and ask the Holy Spirit to direct our main gatherings.

Grandpa's Pride!
Pastor Robert Soto
& Grandson

From these times, knowing there were many outstanding leaders attending, Richard then asked individuals to share a morning bible devotional, short message from their heart and/or music. It was amazing to see how all the messages, music, and stories simply flowed together with some powerful times of being touched by the Holy Spirit.

The son of Pastor Anwar Younas from Pakistan

Ian Twiss & Others building a sweat lodge

We added a second location for our sunrise prayer gatherings this year with a new “sweat lodge.” Traditionally, these places/ceremonies have always bee used by tribes as places of worship, cleansing, dedication and always prayerful intercession. Each morning the fire was made and the stones heated so that at sunrise our appointed Native leaders, pastors and elders could lead these times of personal prayer, confession, worship and intercession in the lodges. Like last year, they were especially spiritually significant for numbers of people. This year we had a “sweat” to especially encourage our youth in their spiritual journey as well as special time for married couples.

Our buddy Elmer
& his baby girl

Pastor Casey Church
Spiritual Leader & Elder

The pacific Islanders came again this year bearing gifts. Several in leadership, including Howard, were honored with a beautiful Turtle Necklace made of seashells, banana leaves, and sinew. Many Native American tribes call the USA “Turtle Island.” Last year this group provided a luau complete with four pigs roasted in the ground. This year they bar-b-qued more than 200 chickens and made a fantastic fruit salad with coconut, coconut milk, pineapple, and other tropical fruit that was one of the most luscious deserts I’ve ever had. On Sunday morning I, along with many others, found myself with tears in my eyes as I stood in proxy for my sons as a group of Polynesian young men prayed for our young warriors (young men) through a Maori haka (war dance).

This years “family talent night” was filled with skits, songs, dancing, poetry and heaps of fun and laughter! We had powwow hoop dancing, country & western line dancing, hip-hop dancing, hand-drum songs, little girls singing praise songs in Navajo, rap songs, slam poetry and other great presentations.

Polynesian Group

The Wiconi Drum

There were many dancers at the Powwow along with seven drums. The dance circle was filled with the feelings of comradery, brotherhood, and family along with the presence of God. All nations, Indian and other, were welcomed into the circle to dance their prayers, and bath in the glory of God poured out in the unity that was there.

Richard Twiss & Other Traditional Dancers at Grand Entry

The Youth Dancing their prayers!

To Be Continued...

Walking For Lives

To kick off National Suicide Prevention Week the Kiowa Tribe Suicide Prevention Task Force (KTSPT) had a march through Anadarko, Oklahoma that ended in the city park with a Bar-B-Que meal, basketball tournament, and a time for sharing.

As members of the KTSPT Howard was asked to give the convocation and deliver the keynote message. He spoke about his own experience as a survivor of suicide and how it affected his whole family. He shared how he expected that it continued to affect his own children today via the opportunities they missed for a relationship with their grandfather. He went on to say that we sometimes mistakenly believe that suicide affects only the person who chooses to do it, but in reality affects everyone around us now and for generations to come. He said that suicide unfortunately is a very, very permanent answer to what is most often a very temporary problem.

Amy Cozad is the Director of the Suicide Prevention Task Force for the Kiowa Tribe. She also represents the entire state of Oklahoma for suicide prevention training. Recently she has been asked to travel the entire Nation to lead Prevention Training. She is so devoted to seeing the people of Oklahoma, and Native Americans in particular, beat this cycle of self destruction. Suicide among teenagers is four times higher among Native Americans than all other ethnic groups combined in the USA. It is the second leading cause of death among teenagers in Oklahoma (accidental is #1 and it’s suspected that some of those could be suicide as well).

Rusty Cozad, Amy’s husband is as devoted as she is, and in Amy’s words, “The one who encourages me to keep going when I am ready to give up.” Rusty also works for the Tribe as the director of transportation. He is part of the family who are famous in the American Powwow Circuit as the Cozad Singers (Native American drum group). Rusty sang a special song composed by his father that in short spoke about the ups and downs in life, but encouraged that if we’ll keep going everything will be all right.

The mayor of Anadarko sent a commendation for the Task Force and declared the second week of September as Suicide Prevention Week in Anadarko; it coincides with the National Suicide Prevention Week. The youth and adults of the Task Force were inspired and greatly encouraged to do all they can by the proclamation set forth by the mayor.

The Balloon Release was in remembrance of those who passed away through suicide and symbolic of the hope we have that we can rise
above the situations in our lives when our prayers are lifted up to the Lord.
Turquoise & Purple are the official colors for National Suicide Prevention.

In spite of the rain, the basketball tournament went on as planned. The winners of the 10 – 14 age group were “The Natives”, and the 15 – 18 age group was “The Lady Braves.”

Prayer & Praise

Please continue to pray with us:

That God will bless, strengthen, and Lead Amy and Rusty as they pioneer this prevention concept in their community and our Native communities across the Nation.

The same requests for us as we try to find our exact niche in the Task Force and that we will be an honest, valuable help to Amy and Rusty.

For the Native youth in our local community and across the Nation. We have had 2 youth suicides since the walk, 3 in the last 2 months.

That God will give Howard wisdom to know what to include, and not to include on his schedule. There are so many needs, but it is overwhelming when he tries to meet them all (or even most).

For this reason I bow my knees to the Father of our Lord Jesus Christ. From whom the whole family in heaven and earth is named, that He would grant you, according to the riches of His glory, to be strengthened with might through His Spirit in the inner man. That Christ may dwell in your hearts through faith; that you, being rooted and grounded in love, may be able to comprehend with all the saints what is the width and length and depth and height-to know the love of Christ which passes knowledge; that you may be filled with all the fullness of God. Now to Him who is able to do exceedingly abundantly above all that we ask or think, according to the power that works in us, to Him be glory in the church by Christ Jesus to all generations, forever and ever. Amen. Ephesians 3:14-21